


Want You More

by bizzybee



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Crimson Flower, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Black Eagles Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, hubert is trying give him some credit, or at least as much hurt/comfort as can be done with two uper repressed characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24051421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bizzybee/pseuds/bizzybee
Summary: Ferdinand just wants Hubert to talk to him. He receives mixed results.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 5
Kudos: 118





	Want You More

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from "Want You More" by Harlequin Gold.

It’s been days since Ferdinand’s seen Hubert. He and Edelgard arrived back in Enbarr last week, dirty and bloody and broken, and neither one of them have spoken to him since, at least not in any way that matters. 

Ferdinand knows he shouldn’t feel hurt by this - clearly, Hubert and Edelgard have just gone through some violent trauma - but he’s spent so much time in his life on the outside looking in that no matter how much he hates the jealous pit in his chest, he can’t seem to get rid of it, either. 

But Ferdinand von Aegir is nothing if not a good friend, and so he pushes his feelings aside. He purchases Almyran Coffee from a merchant, substituting his deep pockets for a nonexistent knowledge of what roast will best comfort Hubert at this time. He bribes Edelgard’s cook to make pickled fish, it being Hubert’s favorite as well as the only truly sour dish Ferdinand can stand. He stands, now, outside Hubert’s door, determined not to leave until Hubert speaks with him. 

He figures it’s about a half to half chance that Hubert will simply kill him, rather than face his effervescent charm. 

Regardless, he squares his shoulders and knocks solidly on the door to Hubert’s chambers, picnic basket in hand and the coffee beans tucked under the same arm. 

When there’s no reply, Ferdinand swallows. “Hubert,” he calls. “Hubert, I have brought you a gift.”

Still nothing. 

“Hubert,” Ferdinand says. “I know that you are in there. I am not leaving.”

Ferdinand von Aegir is nothing if not persistent. He resumes knocking at Hubert’s door when he still doesn’t answer, not saying anything else, but not leaving, either. 

It doesn’t take long after that for Ferdinand to hear the sound of too many locks being unlatched, and then Hubert’s standing in front of him, and then Hubert’s seizing him by the lapels of his jacket and pulling him inside his parlor, slamming the door behind him.

Ferdinand means to berate him for treating him so roughly, truly, but any protest dies on his lips when Hubert turns to face him. 

Hubert’s face is even more gaunt than usual; he looks much like a skeleton instead of a man, his eyes sunken, cheeks tinged a mottled mix of black and green, rather than the normal human pink. 

“Hubert, I-”

“What in Seiros’ name are you doing here?” Hubert hisses.

Ferdinand flinches. “I only thought-”

“Well, you thought wrong.” Hubert drags one hand down his face.

Ferdinand takes a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “Hubert, you are not well.”

Hubert doesn’t respond, merely shoots Ferdinand a glare and then pushes past him, moving back to his desk. 

“I have brought you food,” Ferdinand says as Hubert takes a seat, wetting his quill and resuming his work. “And I- I shall not leave until I have seen you eat.”

“I’m not hungry.” Hubert purses his lips. “And I would appreciate it if you left me be. Unlike you, I have work to do.” 

“Hubert, it has been nearly a week since you and Edelgard returned. I know you have not eaten since.” Ferdinand steps forward, placing the picnic basket on Hubert’s desk in front of his work. “Stop acting as though you are an impertinent child and eat food before I force it down your throat.”

Hubert stops. He dots his quill. Returns it to its post. Leans back in his chair and looks up at Ferdinand. Ferdinand stares back, raising his chin. 

“Fine,” Hubert says finally, and Ferdinand lets out a breath. 

Ferdinand resists the urge to quip back, and instead forces a smile, opening the basket. “Excellent.”

He dishes out the food in silence, pours both of their champagne in silence, pulls up a chair to sit across the desk from Hubert in silence. 

He ignores Hubert's eyes on him as he does this, but he can feel rather than see the smirk on his face that indicates Ferdinand's not doing as well a job hiding his blush as he was hoping. 

Ferdinand takes his seat. "Well, now." He takes his napkin, smoothing it across his lap as he scoots his chair forward. "Eat up." 

"Must you eat with me," Hubert says, hands clasped in front of him.

"I must," Ferdinand crows. "One of us must make sure you are taking care of yourself."

Hubert hums, taking a bite of fish. "And what if I poisoned your food while you were pouring the champagne?" 

"Oh, Hubert," Ferdinand grins. "Now I know you are truly unwell, as I do not believe I have ever seen your smile betray your teasing."

Hubert's face drops. "You're incorrigible." 

"Indeed." Ferdinand punctuates this with a sip of his drink.

They eat in silence, Ferdinand watching Hubert and Hubert watching his plate. 

"Stop picking at your food and eat, Hubert." 

"Stop watching me and concentrate on your own plate, Ferdinand." 

They fall into silence again. Ferdinand's not sure how to feel about this rift between them, at once a single small crack, some dissonant note, as well as too vastly to reach across. 

But Ferdinand von Aegir is nothing if not daring.

"Hubert." He pauses, fretting his lower lip between his teeth and staring down at his half-eaten plate. "Is everything- I mean, er, Hubert, are you quite alright?" 

Hubert pauses. Sets down his fork. "I can't imagine what you mean, Ferdinand." 

Ferdinand laughs, a nervous tinge to his voice. "I apologize, it is only, I had not seen you for quite awhile, and I know that you and Edelgard have just returned from something-" 

"If your aim is to discover what me and Her Majesty were accomplishing while we were away-" 

"That wasn't-" 

"You will not find success with me. Lady Edelgard-" 

"I was only-" 

"-has held this secret with her for long enough and I trust her discretion on the matter with upmost-" 

"For Sothis' sake, Hubert, would you shut your mouth and listen?" 

Hubert stops, his visible eye widening. 

Ferdinand flicks his hair away from his eyes. "Thank you." He takes a deep breath. "I was not trying to…  _ force _ you to divulge any sort of," he waves his hands, "hidden secrets you and Edelgard may share." He shifts forward in his seat. "I only wanted to see if you were… coping." It seems like such a small word for the swell in his chest of something that tastes not quite like protectiveness. 

"Ah." Hubert pauses, then clears his throat. "I can assure you, Ferdinand, I'm quite alright."

The swell in Ferdinand's chest abruptly dies. 

"Flames," Hubert says after a moment, taking a drink of champagne with a small cough. "You look as though I killed your cat." 

When Ferdinand doesn't laugh, Hubert purses his lips. "What." 

"It is only," Ferdinand frowns. "I do not believe you are." 

"Well, if the infamous Ferdinand von Aegir doesn't believe it, then certainly it must be true," Hubert sneers, pushing his chair back and standing. 

Ferdinand clambers to his feet, scoffing. "There is no need to mock me, Hubert."

"There is quite a need, actually," Hubert says, crossing to his study door. "When you dare to assume that you know my own emotions better than I." 

"Hubert-" 

"Good day, Ferdinand." Hubert pushes open his door, beckoning with his other arm. 

"Hubert." Ferdinand frowns. "What on earth has gotten into you?" He steps forward, closing his hand around Hubert's wrist, still wrapped around the doorknob. 

Hubert frowns. Ferdinand watches that frown, watches as those lips curl down even further. It's not as though Hubert's lips are particularly fine-looking, but then again, they are Hubert's, and so Ferdinand can't help but stare. He's not sure he's ever stood this close to Hubert, close enough that he can feel each exhale brush against his face. 

"Ferdinand…" Hubert trails off. 

Ferdinand steps back. Hubert hesitates, then shuts the door. 

"You do not have to speak with me, if you do not wish to," Ferdinand says, taking his seat again and willing his face to cool. "Just know, as your friend, I am here." 

He sits in silence for so long, glued to his seat, that he wonders if Hubert left, somehow. Vanished into the air like the bat Ferdinand's often accused him of being. 

Nothing surprises Ferdinand more; however, when the first thing he hears from Hubert's mouth is, "Ferdinand, I… feel as though I should apologize." 

Ferdinand doesn't move, doesn't turn, doesn't speak. 

"It is only," and Hubert's voice is growing closer, now, "I suppose I'm not used to having… friends."

"Surely you jest," Ferdinand says, staring straight ahead. "I thought we had grown closer over the years. I know that I have certainly considered you a friend for some time now." 

Ferdinand hears the sharp intake of breath moments before he feels a hand alight on his shoulder. "I… Yes. Friends." 

Ferdinand turns, finally looking up at Hubert, skin burning where it presses against the bare skin under his collar. "Friends."

He feels Hubert's finger curl under his collar for a moment, tugging slightly before pulling away. He doesn't move, though, and Ferdinand feels caught in that gaze, in the way he can see under Hubert's bangs and into both eyes rather than just one. 

"I must admit," Hubert says, and Ferdinand raises his eyebrows. "I'm not the best at… discussing these sorts of things." 

"Well," Ferdinand says, and offers a small smile that Hubert tentatively returns. "If you would like to try, I will not make any rash judgements towards you." 

Hubert huffs out a laugh, stepping back to lean against his desk. Ferdinand is definitely not focusing on how their knees knock together, definitely- "Ferdinand von Aegir, withholding judgement? I'll believe it when I see it." 

Ferdinand swats at his arm. "Oh, hush." 

"I have to thank you, however," and then Hubert's hand is on his knee, and- "Ferdinand. I'm not sure if… I'm quite ready yet. Nevertheless, you have my thanks for your open ear. And your open heart." 

"It is no hard thing," Ferdinand says, inching his hand towards Hubert's until he feels their fingertips brush together. "It is my pleasure to grow closer to you, in any way you see fit." 

Hubert pauses, then lifts his hand, placing it on top of Ferdinands and tucking his fingers beneath his palm. 

They sit in silence, neither looking down at their joined hands, both not moving. 

But Ferdinand von Aegir is nothing if not courageous. 

"Hubert," he says, taking a breath to steel himself. "Have I told you yet how lovely you are?" 

Hubert's hand tenses on top of his. "I…" 

"You need not say anything." Ferdinand lifts Hubert's hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to his knuckles before interlocking their fingers and dropping their joined hands into his lap. "Just know that I am thinking it. Every time I see you.'

He watches as Hubert's eyes slide closed. Feels it as Hubert's grip tightens in his own. Hears the breath that leaves Hubert's lungs. 

"You're extraordinary," Hubert says finally, eyes still closed. "And I'm never sure what to do about that." 

Ferdinand bites his lip. Adjusting his grip on Hubert's hand, he slips one finger over his glove and up his sleeve, curling it under the white cotton until Hubert's breath hitches when he traces his palm.

"Hubert," Ferdinand says. "Can you look at me?" 

Slowly, Hubert opens his eyes, looking down at Ferdinand. "You say that as if it's a chore." 

Ferdinand raises an eyebrow. "Is it not? You have never been one to eschew hard work, after all." 

Hubert chuckles at that, tucking a lock of Ferdinand's hair behind his ear with his other hand. "Neither are you, I suppose."

Ferdinand hums. "I suppose not." 

"Well, Ferdinand," and there's that small, secret smile, "If we hadn't both eaten a dish of pickled fish just now, I would ask if I could kiss you."

"A shame," Ferdinand says, and that smile shifts into a smirk that means Ferdinand is definitely flushed red. "I do admit, though, I don't much mind the taste of pickled fish." 

"Unfortunately, I do." Hubert's smile widens at Ferdinand's frown, leaning in to kiss his forehead. Leaning closer, he murmurs into Ferdinand's ear, "I'll leave the door unlocked should you want to go clean your teeth, hm?" 

Ferdinand's out of his chair in an instant. "Right. Yes. That is- yes." And he doesn't miss the scarlet tint on Hubert's face, sitting high on his cheekbones and accentuating his few freckles. "I will- yes." He can give Hubert the coffee later, right? There’s much more pressing matters-

Hubert chuckles. "Five minutes?" 

"Two." 

And as he almost runs down the hallway, sliding past confused looking help and nameless nobles allt the same, Ferdinand's never been happier to be kicked out of Hubert's room.

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me on tumblr @officialferdinand and twitter @bizzybee429!


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